The Altar of Incense^(A)

30 “Make an altar^(B) of acacia wood for burning incense.^{(C) 2} It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high^[a]—its horns^(D) of one piece with it. ³ Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.^{(E) 4} Make two gold rings^(F) for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. ⁵ Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.^{(G) 6} Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover^(H) that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

⁷ “Aaron must burn fragrant incense^(I) on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. ⁸ He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.^{(J) 9} Do not offer on this altar any other incense^(K) or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. ¹⁰ Once a year^(L) Aaron shall make atonement^(M) on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering^[b](N) for the generations to come.^(O) It is most holy to the Lord.”

Atonement Money

¹¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹² “When you take a census^(P) of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom^(Q) for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague^(R) will come on them when you number them. ¹³ Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel,^[c] according to the sanctuary shekel,^(S) which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ All who cross over, those twenty years old or more,^(T) are to give an offering to the Lord. ¹⁵ The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less^(U) when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. ¹⁶ Receive the atonement^(V) money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting.^(W) It will be a memorial^(X) for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

Basin for Washing

¹⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Make a bronze basin,^(Y) with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ¹⁹ Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet^(Z) with water^(AA) from it. ²⁰ Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die.^(AB) Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, ²¹ they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance^(AC) for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”^(AD)

Anointing Oil

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Take the following fine spices:^(AE) 500 shekels^[d] of liquid myrrh,^(AF) half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon,^(AG) 250 shekels^[e] of fragrant calamus,^{(AH) 24} 500 shekels^(AI) of cassia^(AJ)—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin^[f] of olive oil. ²⁵ Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer.^(AK) It will be the sacred anointing oil.^{(AL) 26} Then use it to anoint^(AM) the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, ²⁷ the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, ²⁸ the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. ²⁹ You shall consecrate them^(AN) so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.^(AO)

³⁰ “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate^(AP) them so they may serve me as priests.^{(AQ) 31} Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil^(AR) for the generations to come.^{(AS) 32} Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred.^{(AT) 33} Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off^(AU) from their people.’”

Incense

³⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices^(AV)—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, ³⁵ and make a fragrant blend of incense,^(AW) the work of a perfumer.^(AX) It is to be salted and pure and sacred. ³⁶ Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet^(AY) with you. It shall be most holy^(AZ) to you. ³⁷ Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy^(BA) to the Lord. ³⁸ Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off^(BB) from their people.”

The High Priest of a New Covenant

8 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,^(A) who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,^{(B) 2} and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle^(C) set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

³ Every high priest^(D) is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices,^(E) and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.^{(F) 4} If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.^{(G) 5} They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy^(H) and shadow^(I) of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned^(J) when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”^{[a](K) 6} But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant^(L) of which he is mediator^(M) is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

⁷ For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.^{(N) 8} But God found fault with the people and said^[b]:

¹³ By calling this covenant “new,”^(W) he has made the first one obsolete;^(X) and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Psalm 142^[a]

A maskil^[b] of David. When he was in the cave.^(A) A prayer.